Carlos Perena
Carlos Perena is a powerful drug dealer who employs Manuel Aguila as an enforcer. Television journalist Eric Terry described him as "the king of the drug lords." Perena is a study in contrasts. On the one hand, he lives in a lavish waterfront mansion filled with beautiful women, dresses in the latest fashions, and speaks courteously and eloquently. On the other hand, he is merciless with those who betray him and orders beatings on those who are late in making payments to him. In 1989 Perena was ripped off by a former employee named Torres, who stole several kilos of cocaine and tried to sell it to Sonny Burnett and Ricardo Cooper. Interference by Georgie "Miracle Man" Esteban prevented the sale, and Crockett and Tubbs planned to turn Torres to get evidence against Perena and Aguila. Perena was incensed by Torres' disloyalty and thievery, and had Aguila kill him and retrieve the stolen cocaine. After Crockett left to testify in the Petersen case in Orlando, Florida, Tubbs partners with Stan Switek to set up Perena and Aguila. Ongoing interfence from Miracle Man, who hounds Perena and Aguila in the media with the help of Eric Terry, thwarts their plans to meet with Aguila at The Clevelander hotel bar. One night Miracle Man sneaks into one of Perena's clubs and attacks Perena directly, stealing thousands of dollars in drug sale earnings. In response, Perena orders Aguila to hit Miracle Man in a brazen daylight driveby shooting, where Miracle Man had been giving away Perena's drug money to an assembled crowd of supporters. However, the hit attempt fails and Miracle Man survives and is put under police protection. The pressure from Miracle Man gives Tubbs and Switek enough leverage to eventually bypass Aguila and arrange a meet direcly with Perena. Perena is growing increasingly paranoid by Miracle Man's activities, and makes a deal with Tubbs and Switek contingent on them killing Miracle Man. If they can eliminate the nuisance of Miracle Man, they can have a deal; otherwise, they can forget it. Tubbs accepts the offer, but Miracle Man escapes protective custody and lures Aguila into a showdown and kills him. Miracle Man is confined for psychiatric evaluation, and Perena, showing no concern over the death of Aguila and evidently satisfied that Miracle Man is out of the picture, agrees to re-set the deal with Tubbs and Switek. They arrange to meet at a closed down nightclub on Highway 1 called Tres Leches -- ''the details of which are overheard by Eric Terry. Miracle Man's cousin, Izzy Moreno, breaks Miracle Man out of the prison hospital, hoping to take care of him privately. Eric Terry unexpectedly shows up, insistent on having Miracle Man confront Perena so he can film it for his TV show ''Society's Watchdog. Over Izzy's objections, Eric Terry gives Miracle Man a cocaine "bump" so he can overcome his manic depression and fight Perena. Tubbs, Switek and Perena all arrive at the nightclub at the appointed time, prepared to make a deal. Miracle Man suddenly appears to the surprise of everyone. He threatens Perena with arrest, who responds by ordering one of his men to kill Miracle Man. Tubbs returns fire against Perena, killing him instantly. Category:Season 5 characters Category:Deceased characters